The Fairy and her Prince
by Pretty Soldier Ghetto Brat
Summary: The Princess Serena and Prince Heero meet each other, but they are from two different worlds, Seems hopeless, huh?
1. Default Chapter

The Fairy and Her Prince  
By: Pretty Soldier Ghetto Brat  
Chapter One  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing. They belong to their respective owners. So, please don't sue.  
  
Konnichiha! This is my very first fanfic. It took me a while to decide what I was going to write. Okay, this is an AU and a spoof of the Little Mermaid (not the fake Disney version, but the real one). A few changes, though. The first few paragraphs are narratives, but there'll be much more talking. This will be the style I use throughout the fic. Please read and review.   
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Many years ago, in a far away land, lived a very strange folk. This was before man explored and destroyed the forests, so they could live in peace. They were in the deepest part of the forest on the edge of the Sanq Kingdom, quite happily and prosperously. They never fought and they were the nicest ones you'd ever meet. The High Queen was a beautiful woman with long golden hair and the most wonderful blue eyes, the Queen Serenity. Her name matched her disposition perfectly, she was a fair ruler and the citizens loved her. She also had a daughter, Serena, with much of the same physical make up. But she was so mischievous and playful, that Serenity worried about her safety quite often. She especially worried about her getting captured by their oblivious neighbors, the humans. You see, they weren't like you and me. They had magnificent, striking wings that gave them unlimited flight and they were able to revert to a form no bigger than a thumb. They were fairies.  
  
Now on a particular day, when Princess Serena was no older than five, she was quite bored and left on her own. Her best friend, the high priestess' daughter, Rei was training with her mother and her other friends; Ami, Lita and Mina were playing with their dolls. She made sure no one was looking and flew away, to find something to do. She flew over the treetops and between the green branches. She played with the robins and the blue jays and sang with the mockingbirds. But she soon tired of this and went even farther. Soon, the young princess was quite lost. Slightly scared, she darted this and that way, trying to pick up a familiar landmark or something of the effect. She found herself by a little spring, the water gushing out quite lusciously. She fancied a drink, so she reached forward, her hand cupped gently. But, as she was about to drink, she heard a rustle behind her. Fearing the worst, she reverted to her petite size and hid behind the leaves of a pomegranate tree. She looked out cautiously and gasped. It was a boy in a deep blue tunic with a black cape and black boots. His eyes matched the color of his tunic and his hair was brown and reminded her of a Robin's nest. Upon closer observation, it was revealed he had no wings. That could only mean one thing. He was human.  
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On the other side of the spring, the young prince took a sip of the refreshing water. His day had been very unfortunate. He had been hunting with his father and the other nobles, when they got separated somehow and he found himself wandering the vast forest all by himself. He had played on the edge of the forest but had never been in so deep without his father before. The change of scenery scared him: the birds flying overhead, screaming like the sky was crumbling; the large, evergreen trees that towered over him with trunks as big as his arm and the sweltering heat. The water was quite welcoming. But he was still worried. He was certain that death was only a few footsteps away, and he would leave his mother and father as well as his friends. He imagined some big, wild beast emerging from the foliage at any second and tearing him limb to limb as he had heard being described by his father's friends. Suddenly, he heard the rustle of some leaves. He stopped short, his breathing labored. He was sure he was going to die now. But, he thought of his father, who constantly told him to never be afraid of anything. He would look death square in the face, never quivering. He gathered all of his remaining courage and said in a loud voice braver than he was feeling.   
  
"Whoever goes there, I dare you to show your face!" he said, still panting. The leaves still shook, but nothing appeared. This began to unnerve the young prince. "Have you not heard me? Come out!" he said. The leaves stopped moving, but he could see something approaching. His heart caught in his throat, and he made his death wish. Then, he looked at the leaves across from him. The thing was coming closer and closer, taking him a step closer to death. He instinctively drew his arms to his face, forget facing death with bravery. He whimpered slightly, regretting his challenge. The leaves rustled some more and stopped. After a few moments, after he didn't feel the sensation of his skin being ripped apart, he slowly and gingerly brought his hands down and looked across. With that, he gasped. Peeping through the bushes was a girl! He, the Prince of the Sanq, was afraid of a girl.   
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. He blinked at her then glared.   
  
"What are you doing here?" he commanded. As far as he knew, parents in his kingdom didn't let their children wander the woods.   
  
"I live here, of course!" she declared. He blinked. What kind of trick was she playing on him?  
  
"You can't live in the woods," he shot back, folding his arms. She glared at him, he bright blue eyes flashing.  
  
"I can too. My mommy's the queen!" at this, the young prince gasped. HIS mother was the only queen around here, and Duo's mommy too. And she was definitely not Duo's sister.  
  
"You can't be serious!" he shouted. "Take that back!"  
  
"I'm telling the truth!" she said stubbornly. His eyes narrowed dangerously.   
  
"Fine!" he growled. "Show yourself to me." The girl arched a brow.  
  
"I don't have to," she said saucily, infuriating the prince. He stomped across the stream, the cool water splashing his tights and to the girl, who defiantly stood her place.   
  
"Come out, I say!" he shouted.   
  
"No!" she shouted back.  
  
"I command you to! I'm the prince!"  
  
"I command you to leave me alone! I'm the princess!" that was the last straw. With a scream, the prince reached into the foliage and grabbed the girl by her hand and yanked her out. She stumbled out and fell into the water with him. When he looked up her, he was shocked. He had never seen the girl before, but that wasn't the strange thing. She had two huge, beautiful wings on her back, as white as his mother's roses. His eyes widened as he scrambled away from her. He eyed her with fear. He heard about these winged people, but he didn't know much about them. The girl suddenly eyed him with fear too. The prince was confused. He was afraid of her, but why should she be afraid of him? As he thought this, crystalline tears coursed steadily down her face.   
  
"Please, oh prince! I beg you!" she cried. "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, and don't harm me either!" Heero was confused, but he felt some pity for the young girl. Her pretty flaxen hair was stained with bits of dirt and her white dress was muddy and rumpled. He regretted pulling out of the safety of her trees, and hurting her in the process. He felt valiant towards this girl in distress, even if it was over him.   
  
"Fear not," he responded. "I will be quiet, and I won't hurt you." He said, authority found its way in his voice once again. She was satisfied by this and smiled at him. She flew up and over to him. He scampered slightly, but as she touched him, he relaxed. She was so warm and her now messy face was friendly.  
  
"Thank you!" she said, helping him up. "Maybe we can be friends. My name is Serena, what's yours?" The prince was still a bit reluctant, but complied.  
  
"My name is Heero," he said with a sniff. She giggled and slapped him playfully on the arm. For a girl, she could hit hard.   
  
"Tag! You're it!" she shrieked and darted away. Heero stopped rubbing his arm and smirked. He could catch her, no problem. After all, he was the fastest runner in the Sanq, right? He ran behind her, but she flew up just as he was about to tag her. He jumped to tried to hit her, as she hovered over him, laughing, but with no luck. She flew up a bit farther every time he tried and missed. Heero was frustrated, but he was also having fun! He watched her mock him from her safe haven in the sky and narrowed his eyes with a venomous smirk. He put all of his energy into his jump and tagged her leg, much to her chagrin. As he was about to give her a taste of her medicine, he stopped. Serena stopped too. Far off, they could both hear people calling.  
  
"Prince Heero!" called a deep, tenor.  
  
"Princess Serena!" called a fair, melodious voice. Before he could reply, Serena flitted over to 'her' side of the forest.   
  
"Serena? It's okay!" he called. But she shook her head.  
  
"Mommy said I can't let humans see me, I already broke her rule!" she said desperately. Heero looked over to 'his' side of the forest. The voice was getting closer. With one last look at Serena, he said.  
  
"Bye, Serena!" and he waved. She waved back.  
  
"Goodbye, Heero," she said and she disappeared before his eyes. But to his amazement, he realized she just shrunk to just a few inches high. With her gone, he turned and called out.  
  
"I'm here!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, how was that? Did you like? Or was it kinda corny? Please tell me. I can't guarantee the other mentioned pilots or scouts will play a big part in this fic (well, okay, Duo and Rei might make appearances, no hook-ups there though). Thank you!!  



	2. Chapter 2

The Fairy and Her Prince  
By: Pretty Soldier Ghetto Brat  
Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: I don't Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing. Please don't sue.  
  
Firstly, let me just apologize for being so inconsiderate. America has just suffered a great tragedy, yet I forgot to express my condolences to you guys. Well, I express my heartfelt sympathy to everyone who has been affected by this heinous act. I'm not from America, yet I have lost someone dear to me. Again, I'm sorry.  
  
Okay, well, thank you for all the kind reviews!! You really made my weekend (and made my cousin threaten to kill me…oh well). Somebody commented that it was very fairytale-esque. That was my initial intention. So, I take it you'll be looking out for my upcoming fic, The Sands of Time, huh?  
(Not my vampire fic). It's my first attempt at the supernatural. It'll be cool, trust me. Okay, don't forget to review. Ja Ne!!  
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The next day, our princess woke up with a new feeling. She never had that much fun playing with her fairy friends as she did with the human prince the afternoon before. Serena knew that her mother would be very vexed if she found out that she was talking to humans, and having her mother disappointed in her was the last thing she wanted. So, Serena decided to stay and try to play with her friends. She had managed before, hadn't she? First, she stopped by the fountain, where she saw Ami perched on a rock, deep in a book. Her light blue wings were gently closed on her back and her matching dress fluttered softly in the calm breeze.  
  
"Hi Ami!" she said as brightly as she could manage. Ami looked up and went back into her book. Serena frowned. Maybe she didn't hear her… "HI AMI!!!!" she shouted in her friend's ear, which caused her to scream.  
  
"Serena!" she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She rubbed her right ear, while giving the princess a dark glare. Serena just closed her eyes and grinned.  
  
"Do you wanna play tag?" she asked, flitting around the blue haired girl as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"No," she said flatly, and went back to her book. "Ask Lita or the others." Serena looked at Ami become even more engrossed in her book. She simply shrugged and went in search of her other fairy friends. She had a lot of surplus energy to work off… Her search was short-lived as she found two of the girls seated on the grass. Lita was plaiting Mina's long golden hair, while she played with her fairy princess doll.   
  
"Hiya, minna-san!" she said again, spreading her ray of sunshine. Too bad the others ignored it.  
  
"Hey Serena," the red head answered dryly.  
  
"Hi," Mina replied still playing with her doll. Serena wrinkled her brow. Maybe they won't be up to playing. But, it was still worth a try.   
  
"Wanna play tag?" she asked for the second time in ten minutes.  
  
"No," the two answered simultaneously and absently. Okay, her first initiative was correct. Oh well…  
  
"Do you know where Rei-chan is?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"Home," came the dead response. With a sniff, Serena flew away from the field. Rei has to want to play with her. She was her best friend, so that's what best friends do, right? Well, she thought the others were her best friends too. She flew up to Rei's house and realized she wasn't inside. Flying around the back, she found Rei on her swing, perfectly still. Her dark eyes were closed and she seemed totally oblivious to her surroundings. Serena grinned. This was the type of opportunity she lived for. Rei would never see her coming. She crept up silently behind the raven-haired girl, hoping that the chance of a lifetime wouldn't be the bust of a decade. Almost there…about a footstep away from her, Serena took a deep breath and let it out…  
  
"BOO!!!" she shouted as loudly as she could.   
  
"AAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Rei screamed, falling flat on her rear. Serena was ecstatic. She pointed at her friend and laughed, unaware of the added danger she was putting herself into…  
  
"SERENA YOU IDIOT!!! IT TOOK ME WEEKS TO GO INTO SUCH A RELAXED STATE!!! JUST WHEN I HAD IT YOU HAD TO COME AND MESS IT UP!!!!!!" she screamed at the blonde fairy, who cowered at her friend's sudden outburst. When Serena deemed it safe to look, Rei's face was as red as her dress and she could swear she saw steam coming out her ears…   
  
"Rei…" she started softly, when her friend's mood took a 180. Rei started…crying. Tears were coursing down her face and she sobbed almost inaudibly. She sat back down on her swing and sobbed some more, her scarlet wings hanging over her trembling form, as if to shield her. Serena was bewildered. She had never ever ever seen Rei cry. She usually made others cry, but not the other way around. Her heart heaved at the fact that she caused her friend such pain. She rested a cautious hand on her back.  
  
"I…I'm…" she began, but Rei waved her away.  
  
"Go away Serena, just go away…" she sobbed. Serena looked at Rei, before taking her instruction. Her white wings drooping, she flew away. She had managed to get everyone annoyed at her in some degree in less than half hour. Most of all, Rei would never talk to her again after this for sure. She felt herself so close to breaking down. She tried to hold it in, to be strong, but Serena eventually lost. Her sobs could be heard by anyone close by and they were so heart wrenching. She didn't know how long she wandered for, all she knew was that she was lost. She groaned. Not only can she brighten people's mood, but also she had a great sense of direction, no? As she tried to find her way back, Serena passed the little spring she found the previous afternoon. ~Nobody would find me here, not they would want to either~ Serena found a little rock to sit on and sat there. Once again, she began crying. What type of friend was she?  
  
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Now conveniently, our human prince was wandering around at the same time. Heero himself was feeling quiet bored and was hoping to find his newest playmate. It was a daunting challenge, but thanks to his precocious memory, he was able to remember the routes the manservant took when he led him out the day before. Now, it was time to put them to the test. The area looked familiar, but, this could also be because he got himself lost and wandered around probably the whole forest. He was still a bit apprehensive about being in this alien environment, there were probably some creatures still lurking around. Suddenly, he heard a sound. Heero stopped and listened. He was sure it was a cry of some beast. But, upon closer hearing, he realized it was the cries of a child, a girl to be exact. He walked blindly to the direction of the cries. He might have been scared, but Heero decided it might've been some poor girl lost, and he could lead her back to the Sanq. He got closer and closer, and as he pulled away the last bit of foliage, he gasped. It was the exact same spot Heero found himself at last afternoon. The spring still gushed the cool, pure water it did last time and the flora and fauna were the same as before. But something was out of place. Heero was closer to the cries of the young girl than he was before. He scanned the area and found her. She was perched on a rock by the gushing water, some of it sprinkling lightly on her. But, he noticed something. Her wings! That meant…  
  
"Serena!" he called out. She stopped crying immediately and looked up at him. She smiled and wiped away her tears. Then, she flew over to him.  
  
"Oh, Heero!" she said happily. "You're here again!" even though her face wore a happy expression, Serena still showed signs of having a good crying fit. This concerned him greatly.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked. Serena laughed and splashed him.  
  
"Nothing!" she giggled. Serena flew forward and hit him hard. "Tag!" they played for the entire afternoon until twilight, when they were both exhausted.   
  
"You're going to be here tomorrow, right?" Serena panted.  
  
"Yeah," Heero said, barely breathing. They nodded and went their separate ways.  
  
Now, the next afternoon, the queen was worried. She couldn't find her daughter anywhere. She was usually in her room, but it was empty. Serenity ran out into the field where she played with her friends. She found the four girls sitting in a circle.  
  
"Do you girls know where Serena is?" she asked desperately. Rei shook her head and the queen could help notice the guilty looks on their faces. But, she couldn't inquire about that now. In a panic, she called her lady-in-waiting.   
  
"Michelle, do you know where the princess is?" she asked, her voice etched in concern. The aqua-haired fairy shook her head.  
  
"No, Your Grace, I haven't seen her since this morning," she replied. Serenity wrung her white hands.   
  
"Please, help me look for her," she pleaded. Michelle bowed.   
  
"I will," and with that, she flew off. Now, Michelle was at a slight loss. Firstly, she had no clue where a hyper little fairy princess could be, especially if she was bored out of her mind. She decided to fly away from the palace and its grounds, and searched for her high and low.   
  
"Now, if I were Miss Serena, where would I be…?" she muttered as she swept her blue eyes over the area. All she could see was the thickest trees possible, with birds and various other animals minding their own business. She reverted into petite form and darted between the leaves and narrowly missed colliding with the forest residents. The sun was cool now and a gentle breeze blew over the land, hampering her movements and forcing her to go to her normal size. It was getting late, and Michelle was seriously considering turning back. "Probably found her by now…" she trailed off when she heard laughter. Happy, shrieking, high-pitched laughter; coming from beyond the rows of trees. Michelle smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Of course! The poor girl was so tired of her surroundings that she went out to explore. She was about to reveal herself when she heard another set of laughter, not from Miss Serena. It was highly unfamiliar and that wasn't good. Being curious, she peered out from behind her hiding place and Michelle's blood went cold. The princess was hovering a few feet off the ground…with a human boy trying his best to catch her! She was so oblivious to her immediate threat. Then, he caught her.   
  
"Oh, no!" she gasped. Once again ready to make her appearance, Michelle was suddenly stopped. They were both on the ground…laughing their rear-ends off. Now, it was safe to say Michelle was confused, so she stayed where she was.  
  
"My turn now!!" the little boy shrieked and ran off. Serena grinned and ran in his general direction. The little boy was quite fast for a human, but it made no difference. Within the minute, the princess was leading the captured human out of the thicket, laughing and giggling. Michelle's eyes were widened beyond belief. Why wasn't he trying to harm her? This runs against everything she was taught about humans. But she turned her attentions back to the two children.  
  
"Mommy's going to be worried," the boy was saying. "I have to go now."  
  
"Yeah. It's getting dark," Serena agreed. They bade each other farewell and vowed to meet back there the next day. Then, they parted. Michelle decided to make her presence known. She can out of her place and stood in front of the princess, her face was angry as she could manage.  
  
"What are you doing all the way out here?" she scolded. The princess nearly jumped a mile. Her blue eyes were wide and she trembled slightly. Michelle laughed inwardly. Poor girl.   
  
"I…I…" she started, casually looking over her shoulder, but Michelle pretended not to notice.  
  
"You mother has been so distraught!" she shouted. "Honestly child!" Michelle then picked up the girl and flew her all the way to the palace, rebuking her all the way. The two didn't reach until early evening, where Serenity looked like she had been crying up a storm. At seeing her daughter, the queen gasped happily and flew over, smothering the young girl in hugs and kisses.   
  
"Oh, Serena!" she cried. "You had me so worried!" she sobbed. Michelle smirked at the totally unprepared look on the young princess's face. Serenity finally pulled away after an eternity. "Okay, baby. Go to your room and I'll be there in a minute." The princess dumbly complied. Serenity turned to Michelle and gave her a warm hug.  
  
"Thank you for finding my daughter," she said and pulled away, confused look on her face. "Where was she by the way?" Michelle hung her head. She knew what would happen. The queen would never allow Serena to play with the human boy again. Pity too, he seemed so nice.   
  
"In the forest, madam," she answered barely audible. Serenity's look now changed to concern.  
  
"Is something wrong, Michelle?" she asked gently. Michelle looked at her face and knew she couldn't lie. So, she sighed.  
  
"Yes, Your Highness," she started. "She was playing with a boy-a human boy to be exact." Queen Serenity's face dropped dramatically. Her eyes were now shiny and she became distressed. She paced the room, breathing erratic.   
  
"After how I warned her and threatened her, she still disobeyed me. She could've been hurt or…" she muttered mostly to herself.   
  
"Your Grace, the boy didn't hurt her in any way. He was just playing with her and…" she trailed off when Serenity snapped around, a look of disbelief on her face.   
  
"Huh!" she grunted dryly. "Am I the only one who remembers what they did to the sea people?" she asked in a shaky voice. "Well, I'm not going to let that happen to us. They can treat their own kind so badly as well, what would they do to us?" Michelle began to amend her mistake, when Serenity stormed out. She walked down the hallway and to the little princess's room.  
  
"What did you think…" she began, but she stopped. The little princess was sprawled on her stomach, her golden hair fanning around her. She was sleeping so soundly, and her white wings spread across her in a protective manner. Serenity felt her anger slowly drain away as she watched her sleep and shook her head.  
  
"I'll deal with you tomorrow you little devil," she whispered and bent over her daughter, giving her a soft kiss.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay. How was that? I would've typed more, but was kinda against time. It wasn't as cool as the first chapter, but it gets better next chapter. Please Review and look out for my fic! Ja!!   
  



	3. Chapter 3

The Fairy and her Prince  
By: Pretty Soldier Ghetto Brat  
Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon, so, that naturally means that I don't own the characters. So, leave me alone.  
  
Hola, minna-san! Sorry for being so late, but I'm just so busy. Thank you once again for all the wonderful, beautiful reviews for both this fic and Buried Secrets. In BS, I'll explain everything next chapter. It'll be a while before I update BS again. I think that's all for now, but please read my notice at the end of the fic (when you are finished reading please!) cause I have some stuff to explain. So, read, enjoy and review! Ja!  
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The next morning, the princess woke up bright and early. The sun shone on the dewdrops on the rose leaves and the birds sang sweet melodies. She remembered her pact to her human friend and sighed. Serena felt so guilty about hiding this from her mother, especially after she had been forbidden to. But, childish reasoning reigned. If he were really as evil as Queen Serenity made his kind out to be, he would've hurt her by now, right? Smiling in satisfaction with her reasoning, Serena got ready.   
  
Now, unknowing to the young princess, her mother was standing outside her door, waiting for her daughter to emerge. Queen Serenity had calmed down greatly since the night before and was now ready to deal with the grave matter at hand.  
  
"And where are we off to, dear?" The queen inquired as her daughter stepped out. Her pretty white dress, pure wings and golden hair gave her an angelic aura. But Serenity knew better.  
  
"Uh…out to play!" she answered brightly, and started off again. Her mother wasn't finished yet, though.  
  
"Play?" she asked, her voice masked in confusion. "Where?" Serena bit her lip.  
  
"Uh…out by a pretty spring I found."  
  
"Oh?" Serenity said genuinely baffled. She didn't know about any spring…  
  
"Yeah!" and she was off again.  
  
"Hold up," Serenity called gently. "I've never heard the others talk about this spring. As matter a fact, you never told me about it." Serena was scratching her hair.  
  
"You see, mommy, they don't know about it…" she said softly and haltingly. Serenity's stomach rolled slightly. She had hoped that maybe Michelle was mistaken, but the way things were going…  
  
"So, who do you play with?" she asked gently, trying to keep her nerves steady. The queen knew she wouldn't like what was coming up next. Serena looked down and scuffed the carpet gently. "Well?" she prompted.  
  
"I play with a boy that I saw there," she said slowly and calculatedly. Serenity's heart dropped. Well, it was time to stop this little game.  
  
"He's a human, am I right?" she asked softly, her voice not harboring any harsh undertones. Serena's head shot up as she gasped. "Right?"  
  
"Mommy, he's the nicest human out of all of them! He's a great tag partner; a fast runner, even though I can catch him; he's fun and cool and he doesn't tease me and he said I'm one of his favoritest friends and…" she said, not missing a beat. Serenity quieted the girl.  
  
"Okay, honey, I'm not saying that he's not a good friend. In fact, from what you said, he sounds like a wonderful soul," she said, to calm Serena, but she honestly felt this way. "But think about it this way. What if somebody comes looking for him and finds you there with him? Or if someone passes by and finds you? I don't want anything to happen to you, baby." But Serena shook her head adamantly.  
  
"No Mommy!" she protested. "I'll hide, I'll go into petite form. Or better yet, Heero already said he won't let anyone hurt me! He'll make sure they don't hurt me!"  
  
"Honey, he's a child like you are," Serenity reasoned calmly. "I don't doubt that he'll try his best, but he might not be able to help you. Then what? If anything happens to you, I'll be very sad and so will everyone else."  
  
"But Mommy!!" Serena shouted, tears streaming down her face by now. Serenity felt tears springing to her own eyes and reached down to hug the young girl. She inhaled the smell of her hair deeply, spring water and roses filled her nose.  
  
"I'm sorry, honey," she said softly. "Heero is a nice boy, but I don't trust his people. They'll harm you…" but Serena pulled out of her embrace, a look of hurt and anger on her face.   
  
"I hate you!" she said tearfully, and with that, she ran away. Serenity felt tears coursing down her face.   
  
"Serena!!" she called out desperately after the child, but Serena took flight instead. Serenity didn't have the energy to chase after her. She dropped to her knees and sniffled softly. A soft hand rested on her shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry about her, Your Grace," Michelle said comfortingly. "She won't go against it." She nodded hastily, but she wasn't concerned about that. She knew she took something dear from her daughter. But, what use is pleasing her, if it will most likely harm her?  
  
~*~  
  
Serena flew blindly through the forest. How dear she take her friend from her? She was so mean. Serena knew what she heard about humans, but that was no excuse to put Heero in their batch too. He'd never hurt her, never ever. He swore it.  
~I hate you!~ the voice came floating into her ears. Serena gasped as she realized the voice was her own. She had been so upset and angry, she didn't remember herself say those spiteful words…to her mother! Serena's heart tugged as she remembered her mother calling after her, now recognizing the desperate pain in her voice. Fresh tears threatened to form as she thought about the pain she probably put her mother through. She didn't hate her mother, far from it. Nobody occupied a greater place in her heart…and nobody but her occupied a greater place in her mothers'…Serena sat down on a branch and thought. Her mother never said anything about not trusting Heero, just his people. And for good reason. If the stories she heard about them were even slightly true…and she was probably right too. One of the evil humans may come along and capture her and do to her just what they did to the mer-people. Serena sighed. Okay, now she had a big apology to give to her mother. But she had to do something first. Serena flew from her perch and found her way to the spring. There from the bushes, she could see her friend waiting. He skipped some small pebbles along the water's surface, occasionally looking up at the sky with a sigh. Serena wanted to go to him and tell him why she couldn't be his friend anymore. But, she remembered the worst-case scenario her mother presented and decided to keep her distance.  
  
"Goodbye, Heero," she whispered.  
  
~*~  
  
Heero glanced up at the sky again. If he was correct, it was around…the fourth hour in the morning*. He shrugged. He never paid attention when his teacher tried to educate him. But, back to pressing issues. Serena was late. He hoped that she didn't forget or loose her way. Or something worse, maybe she was hurt somewhere and he couldn't help her. Heero felt a great sense of duty to his fairy friend. She pleaded with him not to harm her, and he felt sort of responsible for her safety. If he only knew where she was, he could go and save her. But since he didn't, Heero decided to stay where he was, in case she was on her way. Sighing again, he picked up another rock and skipped it across. A stiff breeze blew across the spring, scattering leaves and other such things all over. He dusted them off him and picked up another rock. As he did, he saw something on the water's surface. A huge white blossom was floating its way down stream. For some reason beyond his comprehension, Heero felt compelled to pick it up. He reached forward want grabbed it carefully, trying not to damage it. He looked at the blossom with great interest, the pretty white petals blinding him and the pleasant smell intoxicating him. He blinked suddenly and looked up at the foliage above him.  
  
"Serena?" he called out, but his reply was the shaking of the leaves as the wind blew by. Heero waited for a few more minutes, hoping to see some sign of movement. At the fifth hour, he sighed. Heero turned back and trekked through the forest. Never to return again.   
  
~*~  
  
Many years have passed since that faithful day. Serena never ventured out to the spring again, but she also never forgot the human friend she made. She thought of him every day; what he was doing, where he was going, how much he had changed since she last saw him. What stories would he have for her if they were to meet again? These questions stayed within her heart and anyone who didn't know the events many years ago wouldn't have thought anything of it. Now, Serena had a big day ahead of her. At sixteen, she was to meet her future husband. She heard he came from a distinguished fairy kingdom far from hers and he was a handsome young man. The marriage was nothing but a political union, almost every marriage was. So, she was now in her room, on the most important day of her life, absolutely miserable. And it wasn't because she missed Heero.  
  
"Now, sit tall and straight, shoulders squared and wings tucked," Ami was reading from an ancient book she found on proper etiquette. She looked up from the book and said in an exasperated voice. "And for Kami's sake, sit with your legs closed!"  
  
"You really should ask his opinion on the War of the Roses. Oh, no! The Battle at Hastings should really tell you what kind of man he is," Lita was trying to give advice on which topic she should discuss with the prince.  
  
"Girl, I'm going to tell you once and only once," Rei said through gritted teeth. "Keep your head still!" the raven haired fairy was in charge of doing the princess' hair, and Serena's scalp cried for mercy.  
  
"Or!" Mina said suddenly and excitedly. "Maybe he'll be this fine-looking warrior prince with platinum, silky hair and green eyes that cut at your soul…" she said with passionate emphasis. For the past hour, Mina had been giving every scenario possible concerning the prince and his appearance and character. Everyone's voice was muddled disaster. Mina's anxious voice drowned Ami's soft voice and Lita's charging pitch outweighed Rei's mutters. Serena felt her head being tugged every way by her best friend's hands and she swore her neck would break when she stopped.   
  
"Tada!" Rei stepped back and admired her work. Serena's long hair was now done in two buns on the top of her head, with several golden locks trailing down and out of them to her ankles. A soft curled fringe brushed against her forehead. Serena looked at the mirror and gaped.  
  
"What did you do to my hair?!" she shrieked, stopping all talking. Rei gave a surprised, almost hurt look (almost). Then, her eyes narrowed. She stalked up to Serena, waving the brush in her face.  
  
"Now you listen here," she said in a low but menacing tone. "I so didn't spend a week trying to figure out how to do this hairstyle perfectly and another hour and a half fixing it up. This is the latest hairdo out and you'd better like it!" Serena arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Is that so?" she asked saucily.  
  
"Yes." Serena looked back at the mirror ignoring Rei's murderous glare. Her reflection clashed greatly with the image she was used to seeing. Gone were the little dresses and undone face. She now wore an elegant white gown. It had cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline and an empire seam, which caused the dress to flow freely from her just under her bust to her ankles. Her face was laden with makeup such as blue eye shadow to bring out her eyes; an ivory-like foundation to give her face a super pale effect and her lips glittered with pink lip-gloss. Okay, she didn't mind the makeup and dress, but the hair…  
  
"Couldn't you leave it down?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. Rei threw her hands up and rolled her eyes. Ami shook her head and explained.  
  
"When you meet your betrothed, it's like crossing the threshold between childhood and adulthood. In the females' case, wearing the hair down is for children, while an elaborate hairstyle signifies maturity," Serena nodded, something about that seemed vaguely familiar.  
  
"Oh, okay, I remember now," she nodded. Serena turned back to her reflection and sighed. Suddenly, the door opened and Michelle peeped in.  
  
"He's here," she said simply and left. The girls began talking excitedly, sans Serena. Her stomach was doing flip-flops. What if she didn't like him, or him her? She began to bite her lip, but remembered the gloss, so she resorted to wringing her gloved hands.   
  
"Well, lets' go!" Lita exclaimed, pushing them out. Serena closed her eyes. This was it. They walked on either side of the princess down the hall, to the throne room, chatting excitedly. But Serena was anything but excited. Scared as hell, yes; excited, maybe. The butterflies finished their rest as the guards opened the ornate double doors. Serena kept her head bowed, like Ami instructed earlier and walked up to the throne, hoping she wouldn't trip. The silver sandals ached her feet, as they were at least two sizes too small for her. She could hear her mother and the foreign prince chatting and her mother's polite laughter. Serena relaxed. If he could get along with her mother, he couldn't be all that bad.   
  
"Serena!" Serenity called out as she walked up, her eyes fastened on the red carpet. "Let me introduce you to you future husband." Serena looked up and the butterflies charged again. The prince was…handsome, to say the least. He stood a full head taller than Serena and contrasted with her fair skin tone. He had an impassive look on his face, framed by dark midnight hair. And his eyes…they were a deep blue, like the ocean she once saw. And like…  
  
"This is Prince Darien, from the kingdom of Vailus," Serenity said graciously. "Darien, this is my daughter, the Princess Serena." He was focused on her now, and she could feel his eyes cutting her soul. If she wasn't careful, he could unearth every last secret she had. Like she was trained to, Serena offered her hand. Darien bowed and kissed it as she curtseyed. She could practically feel the pride radiating from her mother.   
  
"Okay," Serenity replied. "As the custom states, we leave you two alone to talk. Anything that happens in here cannot ever be discussed with any of us." She guided the girls out quietly and the doors closed. Serena took a deep breath. It was just she and the prince.  
  
"How old are you?" he asked as he sauntered around her, looking the young princess up and down.  
  
"S…sixteen," she answered shakily. Serena wasn't sure if she felt too comfortable with Darien inspecting her like she was a piece of meat. She let out her bated breath when he left her and moved over to one of the high vaulted windows.   
  
"Are you sure you are sixteen?" he asked, giving her a suspicious glance. "You look fairly young to me." Serena licked her lips nervously. Something about him unnerved her.  
  
"Y…yes, I am sixteen," she barely managed. With a grunt, Darien turned back to the window. The silence was torture for somebody as chatty as Serena. She remembered what Lita told her.  
  
"Um, what do you think about the Battle of Hastings?" she asked gingerly. Darien gave a low chuckle that made her blood run cold.  
  
"I think they should kill them all, take no prisoners," he said with a laugh. Serena gulped. Okay, she knew nada about this battle, but she was fairly sure that wasn't exactly a humanitarian response. What kind of man was her mother handing her over to?  
  
"So what interests you, Selena?" he asked, before she could talk. Serena winced slightly at the fact he got her name wrong.  
  
"Well…" she said quietly. "I like singing and dancing and needlework. As well as talking to friends." Serena felt proud of her answer. He would probably be interested in her voice most of all…  
  
"I guess that's good enough," he said nonchalantly, not even turning from the window. She frowned. He could at least show some interest. "Have you ever been outside of Lunaria, Selena?" he asked again. Serena seethed silently.   
  
"My name is Serena," she said with a sweet smile that masked her scowl. "And yes, I have been to neighboring kingdoms."   
  
"You've never been to my kingdom?" he asked, his voice unable to hide his obnoxious surprise.   
  
"No, I haven't," she gritted her teeth. "Is something wrong with that, my prince?" she hoped the sarcasm wasn't too obvious.  
  
"I guess not," he replied, not fazed by her tone. "I just hope you'll adjust quickly."  
  
"I hope so too," Serena by now was fed up. Just five minutes with him and she was already repulsed by him. Maybe she could change her mother's mind about her marriage to him.  
  
"That blonde haired girl that you came in with, what was her name?" he asked with obvious interest. Serena blinked at him. What was he doing asking about Mina, when he was marrying her?  
  
"She's my friend," she said, emphasizing the 'friend'. "Her name is Minako."  
  
"Minako…" he muttered lowly and nodded. Serena raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Is there any particular reason, My Lord?" she asked as nicely as she could manage under the circumstances. Darien shrugged slightly, never facing her.  
  
"Well, in Carthian*, it is a custom to have a wife and a mistress," he said almost impatiently. "I'm still looking." Serena's eyes bugged out. Oh, this was SO not going to work!  
  
"Um, excuse me, Prince Darien," she said with a nervous chuckle. "I have to get a breath of fresh air." And before he could respond, Serena flew out the room. Darien watched her hasty exit.  
  
"Huh," he grunted, amused. "You'd think she never heard of it." and he turned back to the window.  
  
~*~  
  
Serena flew as fast as she could from the palace, making sure she wasn't seen. That was totally unbelievable, how could he be so brazen? The bear thought of it…she shuddered despite the warm breeze. She shook her head. This marriage was a mistake, but she couldn't tell her mother what happened. She knew her mother would reconsider if she had ample reason to…unless she knew! Now THAT was unacceptable. Her mother would never do that to her. Bad enough she was marrying her off to some stranger, but a stranger that was fancying one of her friends? No way. She found her way to the spring she found as a child. She brushed aside the foliage and sat down by the water's edge. Serena gratefully took off the ridiculous sandals and immersed her pained feet into the cool water. She peered down at her reflection in the clear water and laughed. If Darien had only seen her without the makeup, he'd think he was marrying a nine-year-old! She splashed the aged girl in the water with her toes. Serena pulled the pins that Rei stuck in her head earlier and shook free her hair. It felt so good to have it free again.  
  
"Mental note to self," she said to herself. "Never ever make Rei do my hair again!" and she laughed some more. After she calmed down, Serena sighed heavily. Now, more than ever she missed Heero. She wasn't in love with him or anything (hopefully) but the spring didn't seem the same without him. Serena closed her eyes and she could see the two of them splashing each other, their shrieks and laughter carrying off into the air. She could see him trying his best to reach her as she hovered teasingly over his head, but he really did try and he could jump well to boot! Serena giggled slightly as the images died down and she came back to reality. What was she going to do?  
  
  
  
  
Okay, minna-san. Cool chapter, huh? Okay, I've got a few comments to make:  
1.I know Rei comes across a bit…mean… yes, mean in the chapter. But don't worry; she is a very reliable friend, as you will see later on in this fic.  
2.'…the fourth hour in the morning'. Okay, in these times, people use sundials and even looked to the sun to tell time. The sun rises at around six in the morning, so that would be the first morning hour; seven, the second morning hour, etc until we reach noon where we go to the first hour in the afternoon, twelve, etc.  
3.Somebody, I think it was Serena Yuy, pointed out that I might have Queen Serenity slightly OOC. She is not prejudiced towards Heero, but towards his people. If you have probably witnessed what she had about a group of people you don't know anything really about, you would be a bit biased too.   
4.Carthia. That is Darien's kingdom in this fic.  
5.As for Serena's dress, think of the one she wore in the Moon Kingdom. That's the best way I remember to describe it.  
  
Alright, that's it! Don't forget to review! Oh, and to you Digimon fans, if you like Ken, Miyako and Daisuke, I suggest you read Unmerited Torture by Demon Angel Fyre. She's on my faves list if anything and she has some GW stuff too. Read it!   
  
  



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